This being the setting it is, the musicians began playing a catchy tune. And not only that, then Applejack started to sing! "Listen in people!" she called. "Let's get ta work!"
The song started proper a moment later.
"Raise this barn, raise this barn,
One, two, three, four,
Together, we can raise this barn,
One, two, three, four!"
"Up, up, up, go the beams,
Hammer those joints, work in teams;
Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow,
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
In perfect unison, each and every member of the Apple family cried "Yeah!", much to the confusion of the Cass railroad workers, who just looked on in astonishment at the scene unfolding in front of them.
"Is this normal?" asked one.
"Apparently it is, on the West Coast," said another, shrugging his shoulders. "Bunch of hippies."
"Come on, Apple family!" Applejack called, unaware of the exchange going on behind her. "Let's get to it! Wee-hoo!" She then resumed the next part of the song, as the small band continued to play furiously and in sync with the action.
"Raise this barn, raise this barn,
One, two, three, four;
Together, we can raise this barn,
One, two, three, four!
Finish the frame, recycling wood,
Workin' hard, you're doin' good!
Turn 'em round quick by the right elbow;
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
And appropriately enough, came another cry of "yeah!" from the assembled Apples.
"Whoo-whee!!" Applejack exclaimed, whiping her brow. "Ah should probably help with somethin' here."
"Raise this barn, oh, raise this barn,
One, two, three, four;
Together, we can raise this barn,
One, two, three, four!
Slats of wood come off the ground,
Hold 'em up and nail 'em down
Turn 'em round quick by the left elbow
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
By this point the new carbarn was coming along nicely, but yet more wood was needed in order to complete the structure. A steam crane was moved into position by another Shay in order to assist with construction, whilst Apple Bloom and Babs Seed go to work shaving wood for contruction work. As if she already knew the song (despite the fact they were all making it up on the spot), she began to sing, the band switching key to compensate.
"Look at us, we're family!" she sang, loud and clear, her country twang more prominent than ever.
Workin' together thankfully!" Applejack interjected with a smile.
"We Apples, we are proud to say!" Apple Bloom then called.
"Stick together the country way!" everybody chorused together. Then it was just Applejack on her own again.
"Bow to your partner, circle right,
Get down if you're scared of heights;
Forward back and twirl around,
That barn's gonna be the best in town!"
"There only is one barn!" shouted the crane operator.
"Don't matter!" Applejack called. "It'll still be the best one if it's the only one!" She then looked over to see another Shay rolling into position with a paint spraying truck, Apple Bloom at the controls. "Attagirl, sugarcube!"
Apple Bloom gave her a thumbs up as she brought the engine to a stop. "Alright, let's get to it!" she cried, indicating to the spraying nozzles attached to the sides of the truck.
Everybody suddenly joined in singing in unison as they grabbed a paint sprayer, the structure having been miraculously assembled at great speed.
"Raise this barn, raise this barn,
One, two, three, four!
Together, we can raise this barn;
One, two, three, four!"
Applejack then took up the song again.
Take your brushes, young and old,
Together, paint it, bright and bold;
Turn 'em round quick by the left elbow (without sprayin' em!),
Grab a new partner, here we go!"
At long last, the barn was complete, and fully painted, a wondrous shade of red. It fitted in perfectly, and was in many ways better than the structure that had stood there a few minutes previous (the Shay that had demolished it had by this point been rerailed, and was now moving out of the building to stop in the entrance door).
As they gathered together in front of the building, a Cass employee bringing a camera out in front to take a picture of the scene. And as is always the case in these matters, they began to sing!
"We raised this barn, we raised this barn,
Yes, we did;
Together we sure raised this barn,
Yes, we did!
Being together counts the most.
We all came here from coast to coast;
All we need to strive to be
Is part of the Apple family!"
And just as the flash bulb went off, there was time for one last "Yeah!" from all assembled.
The families relished in their achievement. But this was momentarily shattered when Rockhoof walked over. "Excuse me," he asked, "but why on earth were you singing about a racist barn?"
"Sorry?" Granny Smith asked. "What 'racist barn'? How can a barn be racist?"
Rockhoof sighed. "You know, Racist barn, raicist barn, One, two, three, four!'?"
Applejack facepalmed. "Raise. This. Barn," she said, putting very deliberate emphasis on the words. "Not racist barn."
"Oh," Rockhoof sighed. "But what about being scared of hats?"
"Heights," said the crane operator. "Not hats. Being scared of heights is perfectly rational. Being scared of hats isn't."
"I'm scared of hats," said one of the children, quietly. "It's why I'm not wearing one."
The reunion continued on for many days, with much happiness, music, and memories being made. But as with all good things, and many bad ones as well, it all had to come to an end. One morning, Apple Bloom was helping Babs load her bags into her parent's car.
"Ah can't wait fer the next reunion!" Apple Bloom said cheerfully. "Course, Ah'll be quite a bit older by then."
"Me neither!" Babs smiled. "Though we need ta meet up before then at some point. Twenty years is a very long time not to see somebody yer so close to."
Apple Bloom nodded in agreement. "Ah mean, of course we have ta get together before then."
"Obviously," Babs laughed, before sharing a hug with Apple Bloom. "Well, I guess this is it. See ya around, cuz'."
Apple Bloom stepped back as Babs' parents started their car, and pulled away, rolling onto the road away from Cass. She stood and watched as it got smaller and smaller, until it was nothing more than a dot on the horizon. And even that vanished as well. She walked sadly back to the depot, where to her surprise her family were waiting. "What's goin' on?" she asked.
Just then, three Shays backed up to the station and stopped. Out of the first one leaned Valve Gear. "Three cheers to the Apple Family!" he cried.
"Hip hip!"
"Hurrah!"
"Hip hip!"
"Hurrah!"
"Hip hip!"
"Hurrah!"
And just then, all three engines sounded their whistles, echoing long and loud across the valley. And as those three engines returned to the shed, all agreed that this was the best Apple Family Reunion ever.